So where were we?

Thank you, thank you for all your comments, thoughts and prayers. We came home from the hospital, had a little slip-up and landed back in the hospital for a few days. We're home now, both of us feeling good and all is well! Amidst the tragedy that's on our minds and everyone else's, we are so thankful for the kindness that has come our way from family, friends, doctors, nurses and many of you who barely know us. My husband read all your comments and especially loved being called "Mr. Hyacinth". And if you ever find yourself stuck at St. Luke's Hospital in St. Louis (and I hope you never do), be sure to get the wonderful homemade soup in the cafeteria. There's a new flavor every day!

So I thought I'd share what's been on my design wall for the past few weeks. 

I pulled a stack of grays, aquas and soft melon fabrics and have started these blocks. The quilt is called Starstruck and is in The Practical Guide to Patchwork.

The fabrics I'm using are from Simply Color, Marmalade and Dear Stella, combined with coordinating scraps. The blocks are fun to make and I hope to keep moving along on this one.

I've also had this project on the wall for a while. The blocks are Anna Maria Horner's free feather pattern. I spent a half day playing with these blocks and came up blank with an idea for them. I would like to do something with just 4 blocks. I finally gave up, sewed them together and added a border. And honestly, I'm not real happy with the result.

The plan is to take off the borders and stare at it until the perfect idea comes along. Maybe a lap quilt with lots of negative space?? I'm open to your suggestions!

I'm continuing to try and finish up some UFO's! With just a binding to finish, I'll have another quilt to show - hopefully by the end of the week!   . . . Cindy

Read More

Giveaway results,

I am having issues with my Mac, or my wireless connection.  Not sure which.
But some nights I can't get anything to work on Blogger.
So I am on DH's computer for now, cause I have a WINNER.

The winner of the Giveaway, which is your choice of a sock monkey or a Socketbook, is
MISS MOOSEHEAD USA.
Not her real name, I'm sure.
So email me your name and address, and your choice, and I will get it right out to you.
(ragrugs@crazyasaloom.com)

Sorry, no post due to computer difficulties, and tomorrow is "silent", so see ya Wednesday.
Stay warm.

Read More

Cold and colds. Drat.

A cold and gray Sunday.  We've had a mixture of snow, sleet, rain.
Both mother, and DH, have nasty colds.  I've washed my hands so much they are red.
Here's what I know.
You can flush the toilet with your elbow, turn the faucet off with your elbow, and hide a towel in the shower so no one else can use it.
But that doesn't mean you are going to avoid getting it.
I'm hopeful though.
I better go wash my hands again.

Had lunch with a friend, it was a great day for hot soup and good conversation.

Tomato and white bean soup.

Warm cinnamon bread with sliced Granny Smith apples and melted cheese.

YUMMO.

 

There is someone who dislikes this weather even more than I do.

It interrupts his walking schedule.

It sucks.

 

Right, Roy???

 

 

You just have to amuse yourself on days like this.  And that is something that I have always been quite good at doing.

Maybe I'll have some Vitamin C.

 

I actually took a nap on the couch today, with Roy.  We fell sound asleep.

Then I sat in front of the fireplace and finished this bag I have been weaving on.

I had a little warp in a bag, that I wound before my surgery, so I put that on the loom.

It's ready to be woven.

 

 

 It is hard to keep images of tragedy out of your mind.  I am so sad, I don't really know what to say.
We can talk about guns, and God, and the effects of too much media.
But nothing will bring back the lives that were lost.  And nothing will make us forget it.
I am trying to convince myself of all the good in the world.
I am concentrating on that.
All of this convinces me that what I have thought about religion all my life, and my affinity to deism, is right after all.  At least for me, it fits.
I think I will read Thomas Paine's "The Age of Reason", one more time.
It's the only thing that makes any sense.

Tomorrow night is the giveaway.......and Tuesday is silent, in respect

Read More

Update and a giveaway.

I was sure you would want an update.

After a day or two of weighing all the information, this little one has her forever home.

Angie, my seamstress extraordinaire, just happened to be wanting a kitten.

So now, Bella, has the best possible scenario.  She is the only animal in the house, with a Mom, and a Dad, and two kids to spoil her rotten.

Here she is lounging on some socks Angie was working into a Socketbook.

What is it with cats and socks??

L and I have been doing photo shoots this week......Prime Mate monkeys, and Socketbooks.

Then last night, I spent hours putting them on my web site.

So now there are lots to choose from.

Which is good, because my Christmas giveaway, is a monkey, or a Socketbook, your choice.

All you have to do to win, is be a follower, and comment.

If you would, I would like to hear what ideas you have for Crazy as a Loom for 2013.   What would you like to see going on?  What would you like to hear about?

Besides my headache.

Ha!  That was with tongue in cheek.

First of all, my headache is so dull I could almost get used to it.

Secondly,  my troubles pale.  You know what I mean.

I can hardly complain.

Today I finished my towel warp....the crazy red and black.

 I'll post some towel pictures tomorrow.  The last of them are in the washer as we speak.

My next towel warp is being put on sectionally.  So I needed to find enough spools to do that.

Unfortunately, most of them still had thread on them.

 

What to do, what to do.
I didn't want to waste all that thread, so I decided to pull my spool rack up to the warping board.

 

 Holding three threads at a time, I wound three separate "mystery warps".
They are safely stored in plastic bags.

 

 I think this is my favorite one.   I can't wait to get it on the loom and play.

Here is my next warp, I am putting 25 yards on, for dishtowels.

What do you think?

Is it bright enough?

Winner of the giveaway will be drawn randomly on Monday night 12/17/12.  This way it will ship on Tuesday and get to the winner in time for Christmas.

Make sure you give me a way to contact you.

 

Read More

A tree and a kitty. Really.

Just wanted to show you what my daughter did in my granddaughter's bedroom.  Is this too cute, or what?

I think I want one in my living room.

With branches that stretch across my living room ceiling.

 

Same daughter found this little one, wandering around in a parking lot.

Eight weeks old, 1.9 lbs.

Here she is at the vet's, getting treated for all the myriad things that feral cats deal with.

She is actually very healthy, but a little undernourished.

 

She is quite the little love.

And NO, she is not coming home with me.

That's why Enough's name is ENOUGH.

Besides, Miss Puss says NO.

 

This little girl has fire in her eyes.

Now we just have to find her a good home.

"What, did you say HOME?"

Read More

Let's hear it.

Tammy, open your eyes, please.  That's what a model does, you know, smiles for the camera.

I finally got three shawls done.

Here they are.

Mobius shawl  #1, in purples and blues.

No, the model does not threaten the photographer and order her to crop your head off.

What, the sun is  in your eyes??

I guess I could have put some sun glasses on you.

Mobius shawl #2  blue/purple

Finally, eyes open, and smiling, too.

You're the best, Tam.

Mobius #3, turquoise.

She was actually just being nice to me, since L and I just delivered a loom to her house.

The new improved me does not need this many rug looms, so the Union Special is now residing at Tammy's house.

Her first loom.

Hopefully, she will be weaving rugs for me.  And eventually, I am sure she will be weaving them for herself.

Finally got back to the studio, to work on my new towel warp.   Listening to Pandora, with the fire roaring.

Does it get any better?

Yes, I know, the colors are wild.

I have no idea where this color combo came from.
I just know that I am having a blast weaving it.

Thanks for stopping by.
I am feeling better by the day.  I love telling you that.  You deserve to hear it, after listening to my HH woes for so long.
Hallelujah.
Right?

Read More

A bump in the road...

You may have noticed that I've been absent for a bit. Yes, we definitely hit a bump in the road that brought my quilting to a halt. After 4 days of doctor visits and tests, my husband had open heart surgery on Friday to repair a valve in his heart. The whole thing took us by surprise and scared the dickens out of us. All is now well, though we're in for a long recovery time. But in many ways we are so thankful and looking forward to a quiet, relaxing winter at home.

So, before the bump, I did finish a couple small projects. This pincushion was for a Christmas party exchange at my quilt guild. I didn't get to go to the party and I think I ended up with a super cute pincushion.

the back...

I also had this unfinished pouch sitting on my UFO pile. Sometimes I wonder why I wait. It took me 20 minutes to finish it! And it will make a nice gift!

Just so you know - my blogging may be sporadic in the next few weeks. I'll be taking care of my favorite guy before any sewing gets done. He really is not very demanding, so hopefully I'll sneak a little quilting in here and there. Say a little prayer for us - we'll be over the bump in no time. . . .Cindy

Read More